The principles of intellectual freedom—the idea that a democracy is dependent upon free and open access to ideas—are hallmarks of the library and education professions. But librarians and teachers sometimes face strong opinions regarding what material people think is appropriate for children and teenagers to have access to in a school library, public library, or classroom.
What does that mean for librarians and teachers today? It means they must understand the principles of intellectual freedom, and how those principles are applied in the real world. They must be understand their professional responsibilities as they relate to intellectual freedom in libraries and schools. They must willing to acknowledge their own biases and fears and then move beyond them. And they must be prepared to defend the rights of the children and teens for whom they have a professional responsibility.
The CCBC specializes in in intellectual freedom issues as they relate to children’s and teens’ access to materials in libraries and classrooms.